Numerous aiming mechanisms for aiming a golf putter face at a desired target have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,429 to Walmsley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,063 to Ogden; U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,831 to Quadri et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,562 to Stock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,897 to Mick; U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,972 to Cornett; U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,283 to Wall; U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,329 to Kronin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,290 to Stefanoski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,965 to Nighan, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,296 to Hodgson et al. And U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,297 to Shu all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
The Walmsley et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,429 discloses a club aiming unit. A club aiming unit for attachment to a club providing a moans for enabling the orientation of the impact surface of a club head with respect to the target to be monitored during the swinging of a club. In particular, the invention is particularly useful in relation to croquet mallets or golf putters. The club aiming unit comprises a first light source producing a first planar beam of light having a narrow and substantially linear cross-section that projects a line of light onto a surface, and attachment means for mounting the first light source to the club such that the first beam is projected over the preferred impact point of the impact surface with the plane of the first beam perpendicular to the impact surface, causing a line of light to be projected onto any surface immediately below the club head. The projected line of light provides a reference mark which can be viewed during the swinging of the club, such that a person may concentrate their attention on the object being hit, while at the same time being able to see the movement of the projected line, thereby enabling the impact face of the club head to be maintained square to the target line. This provides a novel training means which enables a useful means of controlling the orientation of a club head during the swinging of the club.
The Ogden U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,063 discloses a golf apparatus. A golf apparatus is provided for practicing aligning the head of a golf club with a golf ball to be struck by the club head prior to swinging the club. The golf apparatus has a light source on the club head for directing a beam of light toward a golf ball and a receiver on the club head for receiving light reflected by the golf ball. The tight source and the receiver are positioned such that reflected light reaches the receiver when the golf club head and the golf ball are in a predefined relative position. In the predefined relative position of the club head and a golf ball, a line connecting the center of a golf ball and a point of preferred contact on the club face is perpendicular to the club face. An indicator light on the club head provides a visible indication that the club head and a golf ball are in the predefined relative position.
The Quadri et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,831 discloses a luminous golf practice device. A device designed to be fitted to or built into a golf club such as a putter to assist in learning the correct club position, in particular for indoor or home putting practice. A transmitter unit is releasably attached to the shaft of the club and comprises a laser diode for transmitting a parallel light beam towards an optical unit having a cylindrical lens above the club iron. The lens diffuses the light along a vertical plane to form a beam directed at the ground in front of the iron, whereby the player is able to see a line of light on the ball and on the ground indicating the direction in which the ball will travel depending on the position of the striking surface of the iron. In one embodiment, the optical system may be supported by an arm attached to the shaft.
The Stock et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,562 discloses a golf club laser alignment device. A golf club having a laser generating diode and a laser reflecting prism mounted in the hosel for emitting a laser beam perpendicular to the shaft of the club. The laser generating diode is energized by a battery in the grip of the club, through a switch on the grip. The laser beam emitted from the hosel demonstrates the direction in which the club face is aligned.
The Mick U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,897 discloses a laser aided putter alignment system. A method and an apparatus for determining an individual's inaccurate aim in hitting a golf ball. A mirrored surface is disposed at a ball striking surface of a golf club and a golf ball on a location on a generally horizontal surface. The individual, while assuming a normal golf ball hitting stance on the generally horizontal surface, addresses the golf ball with the golf club and aligns the golf club adjacent to the golf ball in a direction believed to be the correct direction of a target. The golf ball is removed and a beam is directed to the mirrored surface. The deviation between a line normal to the mirrored surface and a line between the location and the target is measured, using the beam, as it is reflected from the mirrored surface, to determine the amount of the deviation.
The Cornett U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,972 discloses a golf putting aid. A laser sighting unit is attached to a putter or a wedge. The laser sighting unit includes a clamp which attaches an adjustable bracket and a laser unit to the shaft of a golf club. The laser unit is activated by a switch that is removably attached to the handle of the golf club. The laser sighting unit can be attached or removed from a golf club without any alterations to the golf club, and without the aid of tools. The laser sighting unit is used to aid a golfer in obtaining proper alignment of the golf club before the golf ball is hit.
The Wall U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,283 discloses a golf club. A golf club having a shaft, a head secured to one end of the shaft and a grip handle secured to the other end of the shaft. A light generator and an energy source positioned in operative connection to generate a plurality of light beams emanating from the club head hitting surface on opposite sides of a centrally located sweet spot, respectively. The light beams converging toward and intersecting an imaginary line extending from the sweet spot generally perpendicularly to the surface and through the center of the golf ball to be hit by the club.
The Kronin U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,329 discloses a golf putter with electronic leveling device and message display. A putter including an electronic leveling device contains a source of electrical energy. A display means for producing a signal composed of a plurality of light emitting diodes when the circuit is energized. A light diffusion means placed over the signal for displaying messages and the like for promotional and advertising purposes. An electric circuit means for electrically joining the display means to the source of electrical energy. A switch means in the electric circuit means and movable between a closed position where electrical energy is permitted to pass from the source of electrical energy to the display means through the aforementioned electric circuit means to electrically energize the display means producing a signal composed of a plurality of LEDs and illuminating the light diffusing means that lights a message or the like on the surface of the light diffusing means. The switch means being in the closed position when the longitudinal axis of the putter head is held at an angle that is unparallel to the horizon and an open position in which electrical energy is prevented from passing from the source of electrical energy to the display means through the electrical circuit means when the longitudinal axis of the putter head is held parallel to the horizon.
The Stefanoski U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,290 discloses a laser putter. A laser putter comprised of a golf putter having a putting head, a shaft portion, and a hollow handle portion. A laser is secured to the hollow handle portion. A convex mirror is secured to the hollow handle portion downwardly of the laser secured thereto. A laser light beam is reflected from the convex mirror onto the ground forwardly of the putter head along a line perpendicular to the putting face to provide a line of sight which aids in lining up a putt. In a second embodiment, the light beam is reflected from a first flat mirror to a second flat mirror and then to the convex mirror.
The Nigham, Jr., et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,965 discloses a golf swing training device with laser. A golf swing training device includes a golf club including a head coupled to a shaft. At least one laser device detachably coupled to the shaft of the golf club and produces at least one laser beam. A power source is coupled to the laser device. An attachment mechanism detachably secures the laser device to the golf club shaft in a manner such that the laser beam provides a feedback signal to the golfer that is indicative of a position and a motion of the head during the top of a backswing of the golf club by the golfer.
The Hodgson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,296 discloses a training putter with laser line alignment system. A putter including a club head, a shaft, a handle, a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, and an upper surface, with the shaft being connected to the upper surface. A pair of light sources located in the ball striking face. One light source is located adjacent to the heel and other light source is located adjacent the toe. Also, included in the putter is a power source for energizing the light sources. A switch for connecting the light sources to the power source. An optical device associated with each of the light sources for focusing a light beam from the light sources, when the light sources are energized, into a continuous, visible linear image of light in the form of a persistent, visual pair of alignment lines on a putting surface. The pair of alignment lines extend forwardly of and perpendicular to the striking face from a point on the putting surface adjacent the ball striking face towards a remote target, the image being formed at each side of a golf ball when the putter head is in place behind the ball prior to and during the execution of a putting stroke.
The Shu U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,297 discloses a practice device for golfers. Disclosed is a laser aiming device removably mounted on a putter mainly including a sidewardly opened clamping member and a laser emitter. The clamping member firmly clamps on a rear edge of a head portion of the putter with screws threading from a top surface of the clamping member downward toward the rear edge of the putter. A receiving seat is also provided on the top surface of the clamping member to receive a housing of the laser emitter. The laser emitter further includes a number of batteries and a laser producing means accommodated in the housing. The laser emitter is electrically connected to a pressure switch provided at a bottom surface of the clamping member when it is put into the receiving seat. When a putter mounted with the laser aiming device is used to practice putting, the user may gently press the putter against the ground to turn on the pressure switch and therefore causes the laser producing means to emit a laser beam which emits out of the housing above the head portion of the putter and can be aimed at a target of putting. The laser emitter can be conveniently removed from the putter so that the same putter can be immediately used in a game.